Microsoft sets dates for business 'big dogs'

Windows Server, SQL Server & Visual Studio

Windows Server 2008 - formerly code-named Longhorn Server - will be launched next February along with upgrades of SQL Server and Visual Studio, according to Kevin Turner, Microsoft’s COO.

Turner called those three products the "big dogs" of Microsoft's enterprise software portfolio and told the resellers and other business partners at the conference that he expects the joint rollout to generate "a feeding frenzy of opportunity" as users look to upgrade.

Microsoft had previously indicated that Windows Server 2008 would be available before the end of this year. Company officials said last week that the late-2007 release schedule isn't being changed, although the formal product launch won't occur until next year.